Nana Otuo Owoahene Acheampong, Executive Director, National Commission on Culture, Tuesday launched the 2024 National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC) with a call on stakeholders to strengthen the culture and creative industry for active participation in the global trade for creative goods and services. The festival is scheduled for October 25 to 31 in Techiman, the capital of the Bono East Region, on the theme: 'Beyond NAFAC @ 60: Harnessing Culture, the Pivot for Ghana's Democracy and Sustainable Development.'The Executive Director said the festival would provide a platform for stakeholders in arts and culture to interact, showcase talents and creativity and project values of Ghana's heritage.He said Ghana's cultural heritage shaped its governance and democracy and charged the citizenry to hold it in high esteem.The festival would have a grand durbar, conferences and seminars, women and girls' dialogue, master classes, musical concerts and traditional games.Others would be art and craft exhibi tion, youth day, international friendship night, celebration of Regional Days and 'Mr and Mrs NAFAC'.Mr Mark Okraku-Mantey, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC), called on the National Planning Committee to change the narrative for NAFAC by making it one of the best events to attract private sector participation and investments. He said the focus on culture should not only be about tangibles (food, fashion, instruments e.t.c) but also intangibles, especially on how to change behavioural traits that brought positive results.'We don't consume what we have, our belief in Ghana is behavioural, we forget that the whole conversation about corruption is behavioural. The root of our culture is our behaviour because it is actually our behaviour that informs our culture,' he said. Mr Kwasi Adu-Gyan, Bono East Regional Minister, said NAFAC 2024 brought about inclusivity and it was through such inclusivity and collective efforts that Ghana could harness the power of her culture.He said the Bono East Region was ready to host the event and showcase its rich culture to Africa and the world.Source: Ghana News Agency